Castles of Poland �a photo feature

Poland is a country steeped in medieval castles and folk lore, of royal palaces and parks where legends and pagan myths vie with war time stories. We go on a tour of castles and palaces, visiting Wawel Hill in Krakow, the ancient capital and follow it to Warsaw the current capital where we will stop by Wilanow palace. And then we end our trail in the largest castle built in the world � the Malbork Castle.

We were cruising on the Vestula when I saw the beautiful Wawel Castle that stands as a landmark of Krakow in Poland. Sitting pretty atop a limestone outcrop called Wawel Hill, this has seen the rise and fall of many a dynasty .The hill itself maybe over 100 million years old and has been inhabited since the Palaeolithic Age . Today it houses a mosaic of monuments including the 1000 year old cathedral and the ancient castle

Castles are not just about battles fought and won, but about fairy tales too. Here is a battle too , between a mythical dragon that lived at the foot of the hill and was eventually killed by the Prince Krakus who founded the city. However in another version of the folklore, a local hero emerged in the story in the form of Skuba, a cobbler�s apprentice. The dragon had a penchant for young virgins and the king offered his daughter�s hand in marriage to the person who killed the dragon. Skuba stuffed a lamb with sulphur and left it as a bait below the dragon�s lair, who eventually exploded after eating it.

The medieval castle itself has been built and rebuilt several times, having survived wars and fires. It was constructed in the Gothic style in the 14^th century, while Renaissance elements were added a couple of centuries later. Rich Flemish tapestries from the 16^th century catch your eye as you walk around the many chambers inside the palace. Home to over three dynasties of the monarchs , the palace takes you on a whirlwind tour of Polish history.

The kings however were all crowned in this 1000 year old Gothic cathedral which tells a tale of its own. The first thing that you notice about the cathedral is the giant bones of a mammoth and a whale hanging at the entrance. A sign of Pagan worship or a reference to the dragon lore � one wouldn�t know for sure. And yet, in this cathedral which has every stamp of architectural style � from Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque to Classic , kings, saints and bishops lay buried in the crypts. Our guide tells us that it bears similarity to the �Murder in the Cathedral � story as a bishop was murdered here by a king. However, he is quick to add that Pope John Paul 11 offered his first mass as a priest here.

Our next port of halt is Warsaw the capital. Walking along the Castle Square in the charming old town, you get a different glimpse of the capital city. The royal castle stands in front of the square, its brick red fa�ade spread across the old town. Once upon a time it was the official residence of the royalty; today however it is a museum that tells the tales of destruction caused by the wars while the city has risen from the ashes like a Phoenix.

Warsaw is a city of palaces and castles with parks surrounding them . I am told that there are more than 30 of them in the city. We visit the 17^th century baroque residence of the Polish monarch � the Wilanow Palace that is nestled in lush greenery . Paintings and sculptures adorn this beautiful palace which has changed hands several times between royalty and aristocracy and has eventually been destroyed during the World War 2 before being restored again

The royal residence was initially built as a Polish aristocratic mansion in a little village and it slowly became a magnificent structure with French styled palaces and Italian garden villas. Walk around and you can see the royal apartments , but the guides tell you that the interiors were changed over a period of time and the palace is now a veritable art gallery and a museum . Busts of kings and queens and Gods and deities were showcased here. The ceilings were elaborately painted with frescos , while the portrait galleries take you to the time of the Polish royalty.  

Parks and lakes drape Warsaw into a city covered by lush fabric . We walked up the Lazienki Park , which translates to Royal Baths Park , where the gardens were landscaped in the 17^th century in a typical Baroque style. A bathing pavilion lends its name to the park and palace here. Amidst the verdant greenery are beautiful palaces and castles , notably the �Palace on the Water � or �the Palace on the Island , also referred to as the �Lazienki Palace. � On the banks of the lake is a Roman amphitheatre and if you walk around the park, you will notice another palace called the Myslewicki Palace , a White House, Orangeries, temples to Diana and a Water Tower.

We finally end our trail as we leave Warsaw and enter the portals of the largest castle to be ever built in the world � the Malbork castle. As you see the castle standing across the Nogat , you learn that this was once a medieval fortress was built in the 14^th century by the Teutonic Knights in what was then known as Prussia. Built in bricks, the World Heritage Site takes you into a fascinating journey of the knights and their stories.
 
The castle takes you into a different world. As you enter the portals, you see a courtyard and enter halls and rooms with old paintings . Although the castle was rebuilt after the World War 2, much of it was recreated to show how the medieval knights lived here. You walk around and see the kitchens, the mills, the large wells and even the restrooms sitting atop a moat with cabbage leaves serving as toilet paper .

The castle the largest Gothic monument in this part of the world and was named Marienburg or Malborg after the patron Saint Mary. There are three main castles built within the fortress and were strongly defended by the knights, who also controlled the trade of amber in this region. The Church of our Lady built inside the castle is still in ruins and it takes you back to the times of the past when the castle has been in siege .

This photo feature was published in Yahoo.

Celebrate Nicolaus Copernicus� 540th birthday in Torun

In a small little fairy tale town, I am reminded of a legendary fairy tale . I get a whiff of the freshly baked gingerbread and am transported into the tale of the gingerbread man who comes alive from his mould, only to be devoured by a fox. Torun in Poland is a World UNESCO site with loads of history but it is its legendary gingerbread that makes it irresistible.

We follow the scent and walk into a quaint where we join a group of excited children, waiting to get their hands dirty with chocolate and flour. I am as wide eyed as the children, when I hear that Torun�s legendary gingerbread dates back to the 13th century and India has had a role to play , for the ginger to make this �pierniki� came through the spice trade route.

I am for a moment intoxicated, not just by the flavour but the entire setting that seems to be out of a fairy tale . Large wooden tables with rolling pins, wooden ladles, spoons and buckets lie scattered with wisps of flour and chocolate around in this gingerbread museum.I follow the gaze of the children and see a girl, looking straight out of the medieval times , shying away from the camera as she lovingly massages the flour in her hands. I realize that if I stay a moment longer, I will probably be lost in a medieval world of charming knights and maidens.

I step into the streets of Torun and it does have the effect on me. A chocolate brick tower looks askance at me from an angle. The streets are lined with quaint monuments that look straight out of a colourful postcard .The silence just adds to the quaintness . I stand at an angle to photograph the leaning watch tower as I hear that it was a technical fault that led to its posture. But the heart likes to believe more charming stories like this one. A love story between a knight and a nun goes awry and the knight builds the structure out of redemption, only to find it leaning for like his attachment. Locals say that you can clear your mind of all the guilt by standing below it for just ten seconds as I wonder if I should fight my conscience for all the indulgence in a quaint town.

I am beckoned by some history as we walk down the Old Gothic Town that has miraculously managed to ward off many battles, including the World War 11. Torun �s tryst with the medieval times goes to the era of the Teutonic Knights , who were actually men of a religious order from Jerusalem
Invited by the Polish princes to fight against the pagan Prussians, these men of militia decided to build a castle on the banks of the Vistula and make Torun with its river port , their home. Constant wars between the Polish and the knights continued, until the people of Torun eventually rebelled against the knights and laid siege to their castle. It lies in ruins here, but Torun�s medieval monuments have stood the test of time, even the World War 11 which has left the town unscathed.

The fortress, the gates to the city, the medieval walls, the town hall and the Gothic churches , the Baroque granaries, the ancient houses - all lend a quaint touch to Torun. As I gaze at the top of the cathedral tower, I see a huge bell, weighing seven tons referred to as God�s Trumpet . I am however told that this is not a landmark of Torun.

The city revolves around one astronomer, who literally lives today in the city � Nicolas Copernicus Thorunensis. The 15th century astronomer lives today in Torun as we walk into his elegantly designed two storeyed house that retains the original flavour since his time. We climb a wooden staircase and look out into the street from the study. The house , now a veritable treasure house and a museum gives you a peek into his mind.

Copernicus lives on in Torun even till date. Statues and shops, universities and restaurants are all named after this man who observed that it was the earth that rotated around the static sun. The church where he was baptised , his house where he was raised are all living symbols of his life in this city. Even the company that sells gingerbread bears his name. And Torun is proud of the man who showed the world the ways of the universe.

As we leave Torun, we give one last look at the town that lives forever steeped in its medieval era .The Vistula would have probably flowed here when the knights walked around, brandishing their swords and when Copernicus showed that the sun shone bright amidst the all the stars. If you can think of a place where time would have liked to stop, it is probably Torun.
Getting there
Torun�s Old Town is one of the World Heritage Sites and it is absolutely one of the most beautiful sites to visit. Located near Gdansk and about three hours by train from Warsaw . It is well connected by road as well. For details contact www.visittorun.pl.

This article was published on Rediff.com . Check out a photofeature on Torun in Yahoo.com

Markets of the world�Sunflowers from Gdansk, Poland

We were at the fruit and vegetable market in Gdansk in Poland and I was fascinated by these sunflowers that were for sale.The market has been around since the 19th century and is one of the most colourful places to hang out in this town .



And in a shop nearby, they were selling these as well

Travel update - Europe 2012

Well, this trip almost never happened. The doctor decided I needed another surgical procedure a week before the scheduled departure and just as she agreed to postpone it, the husband's office created confusion.  Poland Tourism had invited me to visit their country and I decided that I needed a break and hence had planned a last minute trip to a few other European countries before landing in Poland. Just as I thought I defeated Murphy's intentions by landing in Paris as scheduled, he struck just as we were leaving Amsterdam. The husband's office called him back and lo, after much chaos and confusion, he left for India, while I continued travelling solo to Barcelona and then onward to Krakow. The trip did have its highs and lows...Paris was beautiful as ever...it drizzled a bit as the sun warmed us up. Amsterdam looked colorful , although it rained. Vienna was quiet and unassuming  but Barcelona was sunny and vibrant. We had to give Prague a miss though . Poland was a surprise. It was quaint and the old towns were charming. The castles, however fairy tale like, resonated with tragic historic tales as we walked, explored and took in huge doses of history, revisiting wars and battles lost and won. I am now back in Bangalore..reminiscing and recouping and will post longer updates in a bit.